Importance of a filter!

Finding it, filtering it, treating it all in here!
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yorkshirewolf
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Importance of a filter!

Post by yorkshirewolf »

After setting up a 350 litre rainwater harvesting system to run from our roof a few weeks ago, i'm happy to say it's all working well, filling up surprisingly quickly! but being circulated as I use it to wash the yard down to clean up after the dogs.

Anyway, I initially got a wire filter to catch stray leaves and bigger bits, but as there still seemed to be a bit of muck getting in, i got a few 100 micron pond filters, thinking, the more i filter it, the less work there'll be to make it drinkable should SHTF.

Doing a bit of routine checking and maintenance this morning, i found the filter looking in quite a state (can't upload pictures but imagine a white sock full of silt & brown sauce!) after being on for only about two weeks! just goes to show how much crap can get into a water supply!

After a good clean and soak in milton fluid it's now back on, but if anyone has a rainwater harvesting system, i'd highly recommend a 100 micron filter!
Arzosah
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Re: Importance of a filter!

Post by Arzosah »

That sounds brilliant! Good for you, yorkshirewolf (I like the name too :D ). Holmfirth is the Ancestral Home!
Yorkshire Andy
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Re: Importance of a filter!

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

Image

;)


Have you thought of several tanks linked together?

3 in a row linked near the top first one fills and most solids settle then it fills the second with water from the top and so on...

Obviously the tanks will need cleaning every now and then

But first one can be used to say flush the loo.. Second for washing third for drinking?
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong ;)

Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
featherstick
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Re: Importance of a filter!

Post by featherstick »

We will do 4 in a row. First one fills and solids settle out. Joined to second one so that cleanish water fills second. Second, third and fourth will be joined at the bottom so that we can use all their water off one tap on the most convenient. There'll be some sort of in-line filter before the first barrel.
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yorkshirewolf
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Re: Importance of a filter!

Post by yorkshirewolf »

Yorkshire Andy wrote:
Have you thought of several tanks linked together?

I used the 350L tank as we'd had it years and it fit in a nice space in the garden, it doesn't stand out and is out of the way.

I add a few capfulls of milton fluid every time it fills to keep it clean and sterile (ish) which also stops algae growth. I was surprised at just how much sediment was collected. - and our roof is pretty new and looks clean, the guttering was replaced just before i installed the tank too (thats what motivated me to do it)
Arzosah
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Re: Importance of a filter!

Post by Arzosah »

Yorkshire Andy wrote:Image

;)

Can't beat curlers and cardi, except when you want to whack someone with a broom (hint :mrgreen: )

Seriously, liking the in-line suggestion too, to aid filtering.
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dangerman
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Post by dangerman »

I want to set something up like this on my garage. Thanks for the inspiration bud. Think I'll get a sawyer squeeze to go with my mini. One for mobile use, one for my house.

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yorkshirewolf
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Re:

Post by yorkshirewolf »

dangerman wrote:I want to set something up like this on my garage. Thanks for the inspiration bud. Think I'll get a sawyer squeeze to go with my mini. One for mobile use, one for my house.

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How are the Sawyer squeeze things with flow rate? i know the amount of water coming down the pipe from our roof when it rains is considerable, the 350L tank i have fills fast in a downpour.
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dangerman
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Re: Importance of a filter!

Post by dangerman »

The reviews say that the flow rate is much better on the squeeze than on the mini. But I think the flow rate is fine on the mini, so I'm not worried about that, especially since it's really just for drinking water. But the main reason the squeeze appeals to me is that it will filter ten times more water than the mini - and the mini claims a couple of lifetimes worth of water on it's own. It can apparently attach straight to a tap.

I'm thinking that if I set up a water-butt quite high and then put a tap at the bottom of it, the squeeze will be good to stick on that.
I love motorcycles like a fat guy loves cake. I also love cake.
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yorkshirewolf
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Re: Importance of a filter!

Post by yorkshirewolf »

A quick update on how things are working after a few weeks;

I painted our opaque tank with NATO paint to stop/lessen any algae growth, coupled with a few capfuls of milton fluid every time it starts filling up, there has been no algae growth at all, the water smells fresh with a slight hint of chlorine, but fully drinkable after boiling i would think.

Filling- Wow, it fills very fast when we have any rain, i drained about 3/4 out a few days ago to clean the yard and allow for the forecast downpours, checked this morning and it was overflowing! so had to leave a hose on to allow it to drain some out, mainly because the heavy rain is forecast to stay most of the coming week :(
The guttering length is about 12 feet, and it all goes in the tank through the filter, so from empty, i reckon the tank would fill within a day or two of good rainfall, when its coming down heavy like it currently is, i bet it'd fill in a day.

So, improvements? I'll be adding an overflow pipe to drain into the ground, saves me putting the hose on when we have lots of rain, and there's little point using the excess to wash the yard when it's raining!

Could i store more in a different tank? probably, but 1) the current tank is nicely blended into the garden, and so far only my parents actually asked about it, no-one else has noticed it, which i like - stealth preps are always good!
and 2) based on how fast it fills, unless we have a long drought i think it'll last a few weeks at a push, Thats based on how much we used out of NATO jerry cans when camping for a few months (80l in four cans can be made to last a week)

Thoughts to add? well in a SHTF situation where mains water is off, and say we have a long hot spell with no rain, 350l would still last a few weeks but only for drinking, i could use local water sources to gather water for washing, cleaning etc, and maybe to filter and boil to then add to the tank, which would be could be conveniently done at home, but in that situation, there would obvoiusley be a lot of other concerns too!

So all in all, i think my water preps are doing their job and unless the UK turns into a desert, we should be ok come what may for a few weeks.

Water may be one of the less glamorous preps, and it's definitely not as exciting as new gadgets and toys, but it's the one thing none of us can live without, so a boring prep, but probably one of the most essential :)

Any questions or thoughts?